Florida restricts TANF benefits from covering gambling, tobacco and adult services

Governor Ron DeSantis revealed a revision to Florida's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) State Plan, instructing the Department of Children and Families to prevent benefit cards from being used for gambling, alcohol, tobacco, vaping, adult content, video games, theme-park tickets, tattoos, spa services, tanning salons and psychic readings. The policy is presented as a safeguard against fraud and as a way to ensure that public assistance supports essential expenses such as food, housing and clothing.

DeSantis emphasized that TANF is intended as a short-term safety net, not a source for luxury or discretionary spending. Critics have previously argued that restrictions on welfare spending infringe on recipients' rights, but the governor framed the amendment as a correction of past leniencies. The announcement follows broader national debates over welfare reform and the scope of government-provided benefits.